Home

In addition to peatland rewetting and forest conversion, we are also pursuing the conservation of permanent grassland on our sites in the Breitenfelder Moor near Bremen. Dry grassland and semi-dry grassland, some of the most species-rich habitats, are under threat of complete eradication. We want to prevent scrub encroachment caused by pine trees on 20 hectares of grassland.

We now benefit twice a year from the support of a herd of 250 German Grey Heath, which will optimise the conditions for numerous insect, bird and plant species. We are particularly keen to protect and favour the populations of the Marsh Gentian (Gentiana pneumonanthe) and the Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum), both of which are endangered or highly endangered and therefore specially protected species.

Grazing (paddock farming and herding) is the most important part of the grassland management concept, developed in collaboration with the nature conservation foundation of the district of Rotenburg-Wümme. It also includes neighbouring areas belonging to the German Armed Forces and private land in the vicinity of the Breitenfelder Moor. In addition to sheep and goats, cattle also promote biodiversity on a total of 65 hectares.

The advantages of grazing over mowing are significant:

• The time it takes to trim the vegetation and thus change the habitat is more natural with the support of sheep, which means that insect and animal species can adapt better.
• The structural diversity increases as sheep create different zones: e.g. there are areas intensively altered by stomping where other species can establish in the open sward; selective grazing also leaves areas with longer stems and stalks, which is important for insects.
• Dominant plant species such as purple moor grass are contained by browsing, and at the same time the sheep prevent straw on the ground from forming an impenetrable layer for other species.
• The shepherd can guide the sheep with pinpoint accuracy when certain areas are to be excluded from browsing, for example.
• The animal droppings attract numerous insects and other species that depend on the faeces. Together with fungi and other microorganisms, they form a diverse network and serve as a food basis for mammals and birds.
• Keeping the vegetation short creates better hunting conditions for birds of prey such as the increasingly rare Little Owl.
• The spread of typical plants of dry grasslands is favoured by seeds caught in the woollen coats. Insects also get carried along, enabling genetic exchange between different populations.

After just one week, you can see a clear difference between the grazed areas and those where the sheep have not yet browsed. The Narrow-leaved Ragwort (Senecio inaequidens), a poisonous neophyte from South Africa, has had all its flowers eaten by the heath sheep, so that its spreading by seed is somewhat slowed down.  

Brief information on grazing with sheep:

• The Gray Horned Heath is an old, native sheep breed that is both sturdy and frugal.
• They belong to the Hehmsoth Gbr sheep farm.
• The sheep in paddock husbandry are protected from wolf intrusion by a 108 cm high, electrified net fence in an area measuring approx. 250 x 125 meters.
• For herding, specially trained dogs are used.

Further measures planned to supplement this are the removal of topsoil in sections, mowing and mulching. Their respective implementation will be adapted to the individual nature conservation requirements and weather conditions. The first interval of the measures will initially be 5 years.